While training at the gym today, I noticed that 80% of the guys were lifting weights – I assume they are trying to build muscle. At least 95% of them don’t compete in bodybuilding or strength events, so I assume they are aesthetic-minded lifters who are striving for a Men’s Health cover model physique.

To experience muscle weight gain, they have adopted the “See Food Diet” which means when you see food, eat it.

My biggest issue is, a lot of these guys are muscular but either have a mini gut or big gut – rarely do you see the full package! My instant thought is this: They are not following a healthy muscle building meal plan or not doing any cardio.

Recently I heard a locker room conversation between two young guys. One was slightly muscular and shredded. The other was bulky and huge. The bulky guy says to the shredded guy, “Dude, you may be ripped and have abs but you’ve got no size. You gotta eat man!”

I felt the critique was unfair and if someone said that to me, I would reply, “Dude, you don’t even look like you lift either – you may have lots of muscle under there but you can’t even tell because it’s covered in fat.” I thought later, most women won’t even notice your size because they’ll be turned off by your belly.

There are many problems that arise when attempting to build muscle, without fat. Yes, you need a surplus of calories but a healthy muscle building meal plan at 6,000 calories is no more effective than a healthy muscle building meal plan at 4,000 calories (assuming 4,000 calories is your goal cals).

More is not necessarily better.

It’s like building a house. If a house requires 4,000 bricks to build but you buy 6,000 bricks, you’re going to have extra bricks that need to get stored in a storage facility. That storage facility becomes your gut.

Below is a 4,000 calorie muscle building meal plan ideal if you weigh between 180-200 pounds. I have experienced that as soon as you start consuming 4,000-6,000 calories, no matter how skinny you are, fat gain becomes inevitable. This means that you must include a cardio routine to keep your body fat in check. We’ll discuss that in a future article.

Comments

40 thoughts on “4,000 Calorie Muscle Building Meal Plans”

I rarely leave a response, but I read through some remarks on 4,000 Calorie Musscle Building Meal Plans | Vince DelMonte’s Muscle Building Secrets and Programs. I do have 2 questions for you if it’s allright. Is it only me or do a few of thee responses come across aas if they are written by brain dead folks? 😛 And, if you are posting onn additional social sites, I’d like to keep upp with everything new you hae to post. Woulpd you make a list of thhe complete urls of all your social networking pages like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?

if ur looking for size ur (mammoth 2500) 970calories per serving and you can have it 3 times a day, you should know i your diet is good for you or not because you will see improvements, it is etter to have your protien shake after your workout, you will find out youself everybody is different some people get bigger with heavy weights and low reps while others get bigger with light weight and high reps, personally i start out light then increase th weight each set because the light weight will increase your heartrate.

I like the artical but I’m a bit confused. Based on your calculations I would be closer to 3000 kcal per day, but on the advanced weight gain it has me over 4000, so will those extra 1000 calories push me over the top for musle gains, turn me into a blob or both?

I’m a 18 year old male and I weigh 155 lbs with 13% bf and I’m 5 feet 8.5 inches tall. I do martial arts four times a week each session lasts 60-90 min and I lift weights 3 times a week. I have been lifting weights for 5 months. My new goal is to gain some muscle and reach 180 lbs, so should I consume 4000 calories or do you recommend something else?

hi vince, i am male ,age 27,height of 5’7 and a weight of 141lbs ,i m working out from past 1 month.i have a good body shape as i am a sports oriented person ,but i dont have perfect size and a six pack for which i have started weight training.right know i have started the following diet

i request you to tell me whether my 1)diet is corect for me or not? 2) should i have my protein shake before my workout or after? 3)should i lift heavy weights or should i go for more reipitions from less weight?

I know this is completely off the wall, for what is stated here. I do apologize, but do you know of any awesome bigger fore-arm buliding exercises? Also, what are some names of Protein powders brands at GNC that would be okay to get? I want to go all natural 100% Whey and Casein, or as close as I can get at least. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Hey Vince, I am 6’0″ and I weigh a 125 pounds (probably soakin’ wet). I have a super fast metabolism, eat alot (mostly fastfood) I was going with your advanced weight gain plan, the 4000 calorie diet. Here recently I have changed my eating habits and started going to the gym and lifting weights. I want to bulk up as soon as possible. Do you have any advice for a beginner like me?

I’m a big fan of your work. The biggest question I have is regarding diet. I know diets are a highly individualized thing and in regards to this diet, and you obviously wouldn’t write something if you didn’t believe in it,but what is your general opinion on protein intake. You have here 350 grams of protein for individuals 180-200. Should you set a diet based on macro nutrient splits or use the 1.0-1.5 grams per lb. rule. Your split comes out here to be 45% carbs, 35% protein, and 20% fat. It’s kind of a maddening thing to hear all these opinions from people on protein and diet. I just recently used a diet close to this with 4600 clean calories at 170 and 8% BFI. The split was 50/30/20 and I lost weight and got insanely ripped(5-6%),but got bigger. Then I got a little worried about protein intake and dropped it down and kept the work the same,but gained all the weight back,but it was more bodyfat(up to 11%) than I’ve ever been used to in the past. I freaked out too and dropped the calories to 4000 because of it. Your opinion would be insightful.

My son just turned 15. He is a freshman who plays football and lacrosse. He’s about 5’9″ but only 130 lbs. He’s very fast but needs to be at least 160 or so for football season. I’m working with a local high school coach on a training program that will make him bigger and stronger but won’t compromise his speed. Could you recommend a weight training and diet program to achieve these goals.

me i can eat over 10 000 calories per day but cant get anything, try to lift some weiths but getting tired fast and hurt alot, got near no muscle, 4% bady fat, and 6.1 feet tall. Anything im doing giving me near nothing. Eathing healty all the time and alot of calories. And even all i eat i still can lose 5 lbs per day just having a headhake. Or losing 1 lbs for doing nothing. I realy need help me there is near no gym in a range of 30 km. I got 17 years old also. Realy wish to get a 6 pack and more bigger arm. I saw my sister boyfriend and hes arm are near bigger then my leg… Please help me any1 that is near same as me. Near sure im more skinny that was vince at school and me there calling me tutpick. No one hit me for fun they are all afraid to break me something. Please email me any tips at e7e2n1@hotmail.com i realy apreciat that.

Hello Vince! Thank you for the free gift UDT and 4000 cal.meal plan. Vince, my body fat percentage is low and should I still do bodyweight exercises? And before doing bodyweight exercises should I take protein shake? Thank you in advance!

HELLO VINCE I WANTED TO ASK YOU 1 PERSONAL QUESTION WHICH I THINK EVERYONE WANTS TO ASK WHICH IS THAT “DOES MASTERBATION HAVE ANY EFFECT ON BODYBUILDING” I AM ASKING ABOUT POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE OR NO EFFECT PLEASE TELL ME AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE THANKS. I AM 17 YR OLD WITH 8 PACK ABS AND I HAVE EVERY MUSCLE CUT IN THE WORLD BUT LOOKING FOR SIZE.

Hi Vince, I have been following ur articles for around 2 -3 weeks now, Infact have been motivated by ur videos to dare go to the gym again (After a gap of around 6 years). I am like the other bulky guy in ur conversation.

I wolud like to follow the above mentioned diet. But, the problem is I am and Indian and a vegeterian

So no turkey breast or egg whites for me. Can you specify a diet plan in pure veg.

I would also like to get rid of the beer belly (I don’t even drink) I am going to start follow ur best-ab-exercises-new-sample.pdf in a couple of days after all my muscels have been flexed and all the pain goes away 😉 Thanks Adit Malik

Sir, I am totally vegetarian person and also i want to make my six pack abs and to become muscular person. Please give me vegetarian diet. I am doing weight lifting from the last six months but there is no effect on my body till yet which make me feel that my i am becoming muscular. There is also fat on my waist for which i had done lot of exercises but nothing had happened. The results are same. Please help me out